Pia-Kristina Anderson, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology. (PhD, MA, BA, University of California at Berkeley; MA, BA, University of Cambridge) Dr. Anderson has extensive archaeological fieldwork experience in various regions, including Egypt, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Guam, New Guinea, Australia, France, Spain, Kazakhstan, Greece, Ireland, Scotland and the continental United States. Dr. Anderson’s theoretical interests include anthropological history, culture contact and the development of complex societies. She held a postdoctoral scholarship from the Archaeological Research Facility of the University of California at Berkeley. She has taught at both the American University in Cairo and at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Pernille Arenfeldt, Assistant Professor of History (PhD, European University Institute, Florence, Italy; MA, BA, Copenhagen University, Denmark). Dr. Arenfeldt’s research focuses on gender and politics in early modern Europe, particularly on the ways in which the analytical category of gender can facilitate a re-conceptualization of early modern politics. Her doctoral dissertation explores the ways in which princely women participated in dynastic politics and the government of the principalities. Dr. Arenfeldt has presented conference papers and published articles on subjects related to gender. She is currently reworking her dissertation for publication. She co-edited (with Regina Schulte, et al.) the essay collection titled The Body of the Queen. Gender and Rule in the Courtly World, 1500-2000 (Berghahn Books, 2006; German edition by Campus Verlag, 2002). Dr. Arenfeldt’s work is interdisciplinary and draws extensively on sociological and anthropological methodologies. Prior to coming to AUS, she has studied/conducted research in the United States and several European countries and taught at the University of East Anglia in United Kingdom. Dr. Arenfeldt also has a passionate interest in equestrian sport (particularly the art of dressage).

Mark Aveyard, Assistant Professor of Psychology (PhD in 2007, Florida State University; MS, Florida State; BA, University of Nebraska).  My research focuses on how the body shapes the way humans use and comprehend language. As an undergraduate I was struck by the power of experimental design in the social sciences (it's all about causation!), and I was determined to employ those methods in studying literary language such as poetry.  In graduate school, I worked in a lab at the forefront of a fairly new movement in cognitive science known as embodiment, which blurs the supposedly clear line between mind and body.  For those new to psychology in this age of iPods, I highly recommend Daniel Robinson's audio series, Great Ideas of Psychology, through The Teaching Company (www.teach12.com).  For the more cinematically-oriented, try the film Memento---a portrayal of a man who loses what we often take for granted in our cognitive experience.

Jeremy Bendik-Keymer, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, also appointed in Le Moyne College's Department of Philosophy (PhD, University of Chicago; BA, Yale University). Dr. Bendik-Keymer wrote The ecological life: discovering citizenship and a sense of humanity (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006). His articles and reviews have appeared in the Arab Urban Development Institute's and the World Bank's volume on improving education for children and youth in the Middle East and North Africa regions, L'annuaire français de relations internationales, Social Theory and Practice, and Ethics, among other places.  Currently, he is at work on an international conference he co-organizes, Human Flourishing and Restoration in the Age of Global Warming.

Isa Blumi, Assistant Professor of History, Georgia State University; and Visiting Adjunct Professor of History (since 2006). (PhD, New York University; MA, BA, New School University). Dr. Blumi publishes on issues pertaining to
migration, ethnicity, nationalism and state formation. He has forthcoming two new books, Redefining Balkan Nationalism (London: I.B. Tauris) and The Consequences of Empire: Reading Possibilities in Late Ottoman Yemen and Albania (New York: Oxford University Press). A former fellow in the SSRC IDRF, Fulbright-Hayes, ACLS and CAORC programs, he has published widely in journals such as IJMES, EEPS, Current History, JAS as well as written a book entitled Rethinking the Late Ottoman Empire: A Comparative Social and Political History of Albania and Yemen, 1878-1918 (Istanbul: ISIS, 2003). Dr. Blumi is married to Dardane Arifaj (MPH, Boston University).

Thomas DeGeorges, Assistant Professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies (PhD, Harvard University; BA, Brooklyn College (CUNY)).  Dr. DeGeorges’ interests include modern Middle East history, North Africa, colonial history, and modern Europe.  His research focuses on understanding how colonial and post-colonial governments shaped social policy towards military veterans in North Africa.  His doctoral research involved Tunisian colonial veterans and he recently completed a post-doctoral scholarship in Algeria working on a comparative project involving social policy directed towards Algerian colonial veterans and Algerian moujahidine.  Dr. DeGeorges is currently preparing one article for publication on Tunisian veterans, as well as a conference paper on May 8, 1945 (Victory in Europe day) seen from an Algerian perspective for the upcoming MESA conference.  He also enjoys exploring the urban fabric of North African cities, such as Tunis, Tangier, Marrakesh, and Algiers and has spent countless hours in each city appreciating their unique architectural aspects. He is faculty advisor for INSA (International Studies Student Association).

Dwight Dickerson, Visiting Professor of Ethnomusicology. (PhD, University of California at Los Angeles; BA, California State University at Los Angeles). Dr. Dickerson's work stands at the intersection of musical practice and its anthropology. He is an accomplished, jazz pianist who has performed with some of the greatest musicians in jazz worldwide, has been amply recorded, and has recently developed the jazz scene in Shanghai through conducting, small group playing and lecturing. He has demonstrated his musical skills in virtually every conceivable venue—from small smoky nightclubs, libraries, university campuses, and posh nightclubs to some of the most noted concert halls throughout the world. At the same time, he writes on the social history and experience of musicians and music scenes. Currently, he is writing a book called A View from the Bandstand, which joins his belief in the peaceful power of globalizing genuine music with his study and experience of jazz. His dissertation was a study of the political and social factors leading to the integration of union musicians in Los Angeles. Overall, Dr. Dickerson believes playing music is a great privilege and responsibility. He remembers he has the same job that the greats had: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven,  Brahms, Debussy—as well as Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Ahmad Jamal and Erroll Garner. Dr. Dickerson’s other interests include world events, sports, travel and, of course, friendships and family. He is joined by his wife, Cassandra. Before coming to AUS, he taught at St. John’s University, and the Staten Island campus of the City University of New York (CUNY), as well as lecturing in various institutions around Shanghai.

Marcello Oreste Fiocco, Assistant Professor of Philosophy. (PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara; BA, Princeton University). Dr. Fiocco’s original philosophical interests are in the areas of metaphysics (in particular, issues regarding time and modality), epistemology and the philosophy of language. However, he also has developed interests in ethics and normativity in general. A preoccupation underlying much of his work is the distinction between the subjective and objective. Dr. Fiocco is committed to the idea that the critical thinking that is the essence of philosophy can be applied beneficially to real-world issues. Motivated by this commitment, he pursues projects focusing on human rights, environmental justice and social responsibility. He has studied in Australia, taught schoolchildren in Kenya, worked in Iceland and traveled extensively through the South Pacific, Asia, South America and Central America. Dr. Fiocco has deep interests in literature, music, Chinese martial arts and baseball. Before coming to AUS, he taught at the University of Texas at Austin and Lehigh University. His work has appeared in Philosophical Studies, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Philosophia, The American Philosophical Quarterly and Erkenntnis.

Richard Gassan, Assistant Professor of History. (PhD, MA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst; MA, BS, Ohio University). Dr. Gassan’s research interests focus on tourism as a social phenomenon, the creation and manifestations of consumer culture, and the cultural impact of consumerism— with a particular emphasis on how these forces shaped American culture before the Civil War. These are reflected in Richard’s first book, The Birth of American Tourism: New York, the Hudson Valley, and American Culture, 1790–1830 ( Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, forthcoming), and will be carried on in his next book, The Railroad Tourist: Tourism in America Before the Civil War, 1830–1860. He has published articles in Book History and the Journal of Social History, and wrote the general essay on tourism for The Encyclopedia of New York State. Among his many passions are a love for bicycling, Scottish indie-rock bands and movies of all types. Prior to coming to AUS, he taught at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Smith College, Western New England College and several other institutions in western Massachusetts.

Meenaz Kassam, Assistant Professor of Sociology (PhD, MA, BA, University of Toronto). Her books include Grass Roots NGOs by Women for Women: The Driving Force of Development in India (with Handy, F, Feeney. S, Ranade, B.) Sage Publications, 2006 and From Sewa to Cyberspace: The Changing Face of Volunteerism in India (with Handy, F., Ranade, B.) Sage Publications, forthcoming. Her articles have appeared in Journal of Community Practice, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Journal of Women’s Studies, Social Development Issues, the Chinmaya Management Journal and the Canadian Journal of Sociology.  Her article received Honorable Mention for Outstanding Published Article in the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly and, more recently, the 2007 Marie Weil Award for Best Published Article in the Journal of Community Practice and Haworth Press. She was invited guest speaker at York University, Toronto, University of Pennsylvania, and SNDT College, Mumbai. She was invited Plenary Speaker at the 2004 International Society on Third Sector Research (ISTR) conference in Toronto. Dr. Kassam’s area of expertise is the nonprofit sector. She is on the Board of Directors of Aseema whose mandate is to promote and protect the rights of underprivileged children and women. Before coming to the AUS she taught at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include nonprofit entrepreneurship, volunteerism and women’s empowerment. Her teaching interests include various topics related to environmental issues, the sociology of human behavior and sociological theory.

Stephen L. Keck, Associate Professor of History and Interim Head of the Department of International Studies (DPhil, University of Oxford; MDiv, BA, Yale University). Dr. Keck is interested in modern British intellectual and cultural history, historiography, public history, European imperialism and the fate of religions in the modern world. His articles have appeared in a wide number of publications and reflect his research, focused in three areas: recovering the career of Sir Arthur Helps (a major mid-19th century figure who wrote widely-read literature, studied the Atlantic Slave Trade and directly served Queen Victoria) from neglect; exploring John Ruskin’s historical thought (especially as it related to Venice) to show that he was a significant public historian; and, finally, developing an intellectual and cultural history of colonial Burma. Stephen has taught widely, offering courses in Western and World history, and more specialized subjects such as 19th Century Europe, European intellectual history, British India, Modern France and Algeria, Imperialism and historiography. Before coming to AUS, he taught at the College of Charleston and the National University of Singapore. During the summer of 2006 Dr. Keck worked in Yangon, Myanmar as part of a team which taught courses aimed at stimulating critical thinking.

Anatoliy Kharkhurin, Assistant Professor of Psychology. (PhD, City University of New York; MA, University of Amsterdam; MA, BA, University of Nijmegen). Dr. Kharkhurin’s research focuses mainly on bilingualism and cognition. His initial research sought after the influence of bilingualism on creative abilities and grew directly out of his experiences in creative writing. This work was supported by a National Science Foundation research grant. He also has a line of research examining the influence of native language phonology on reading in foreign language speakers. Most recently, Dr. Kharkhurin has started research on the influence of cross-cultural experience on conceptual changes in bilinguals and their cross-linguistic unconscious associations. Dr. Kharkhurin’s articles have appeared in Cognitive Aspects of Bilingualism (Berlin: Springer Verlag) and the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. He has written the entries on the Turing test and the Turing machine for the Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology (forthcoming) and the general essay on gifted bilinguals for the Encyclopedia of Giftedness, Creativity and Talent (SAGA Publications, forthcoming). In addition to his scientific interests, he is a published poet. Before coming to AUS, he taught in the Psychology Department at the Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. More information about Dr. Kharkhurin’s research can be found on his personal website: http://www.TovyHarhur.com/research/.

David Lea, Professor of Philosophy. (PhD, LlB, University of Ottawa; MA, McGill University; BA, College of the Holy Cross). Dr. Lea’s principal field is applied philosophy with interests in the philosophical foundations of property rights and business ethics. He is currently writing a book on intellectual property rights that features a comparison to issues in aboriginal entitlement. He has interests in the history of philosophy and has been a long-standing member of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, publishing some of his work in this area in the History of European Ideas and The European Legacy. David has published in the Business Ethics Quarterly, the Journal of Applied Philosophy, Business Ethics: A European Review and the Pacific Economic Bulletin. He wrote a summary of Melanesian philosophy in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy and a book, An Introduction to the Ethics of Business and Development in Contemporary Melanesia ( Port Moresby: UPNG Press, 2001). Before coming to AUS, he taught at the University of Papua New Guinea and served as acting dean of humanities there.

Gerard McKee, Psychology Instructor (MA in Counselling Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; BA Concordia University, Montreal, Que.). Gerard is a trained practitioner in psychology and was Senior Student Counsellor at AUS from 1999 until 2003. He was also a licensed psychologist in private practice in Dubai from 2003 until 2005 and has been teaching social psychology at AUS since 2003. Prior to coming to AUS, Gerard worked in private practice in Vancouver, Canada. His other interests include tennis, mosaic tile design, travel and singing. Gerard is married to Pelly Shaw of the Intensive English Program at AUS.

Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies. Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah served as the Chair of the Department of International Studies until 2007 and is currently the Assistant to the Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs. She received her BA with distinction from the American University of Beirut where she was the recipient of the Penrose Award (1991), and her PhD in Public Law with distinction from the University of Paris II (1997), where she is a Faculty and Research Associate with the Thucydides Center for Research and Analysis in International Relations. She was also recently appointed a Faculty Fellow in the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University (Washington, DC). Her books include Le Privilège de l’Exécutif aux Etats-Unis, Les Tribunaux Militaires aux Etats-Unis and Is War a Political Question (with Louis Fisher). Her articles have appeared in the Revue du Droit Public et de la Science Politique en France et à l’Etranger, the Journal of Church and State, the Revue Internationale de Droit Comparé, the Annuaire Français de Relations Internationales, Public Integrity, Questions Internationales, White House Studies, the Harvard Middle Eastern and Islamic Review, Maghreb Mashrek and the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies among others. She co-edited Globalization and the Gulf (UK: Routledge, 2006) and The Supreme Court of the United States and the Political Question Doctrine (Berkeley Public Policy Press and Lexington Books, Rowman and Littlefield, 2006). Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah is a member of the scientific board of the French journal Politique Américaine and serves on the editorial boards of the Annuaire Français de Relations Internationales and Maghreb Mashrek. She also serves as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Affairs, the peer reviewed quarterly journal of the American University of Sharjah and the Sociological Association of the UAE, for which she initiated the English-language section. Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah has held visiting appointments at the University of California at Berkeley (Institute of Governmental Studies), the Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress), the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (Department of Political Science), and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). She was an invited guest speaker at Georgetown University (the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies), Johns Hopkins University (the School of Advanced International Studies), the University of California at Berkeley (the Center for Middle Eastern Studies), the French Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), the Stanley Foundation and the Center for Strategic Studies (Washington, DC). Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah was elected President of the Faculty Senate of the American University of Sharjah for the term 2003–2004. She is the recipient of the AUS Excellence in Teaching Award (2001–2002) and the AUS Excellence in Service Award (2002–2003).

Neema Noori, Assistant Professor of Sociology (PhD, Columbia University; MA, University of Texas; BA, BS, University of Utah). Dr. Noori’s research interests include decentralization in the Middle East and Central Asia, NGOs and civil society in the developing world, and the sociology of development and globalization. Dr. Noori’s dissertation, Delegating Coercion: Linking Decentralization to State Formation in Uzbekistan (Columbia University, 2005), explored the relationship between administrative devolution and state capacity in Post-Soviet Uzbekistan. For this project, he studied and conducted research in Uzbekistan. While at Columbia, he taught the course Conceptual Foundations of International Politics at the School for International and Public Affairs for six years.

A. Reza Sheikholeslami, Soudavar Professor of Persian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford; Visiting Professor of History (2006–2007). Dr. Sheikholeslami is currently working on the formation of political community in Iran. He has recently written on the structure of central authority in Qajar Iran in the late 19th century and guest edited the journal Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. At Oxford, he teaches courses on the history of Persia in the 19th century, the Pahlavis, the roots of the Islamic revolution in Persia and Persian political texts.

Mercedes Sheen, Assistant Professor of Psychology (PhD University of Canterbury, New Zealand, BSc Open University, UK). Dr. Sheen’s interests and research focus has been primarily on the errors people make in remembering their past. Specifically how the introduction of misinformation can lead the rememberer to incorporate the misinformation and report it as part of the original memory. This is area of work is particularly relevant with regard to eyewitness testimony and how easy it is to manipulate witnesses of crimes in the real world. Dr. Sheen's work has been published in a number of journals including: Memory & Cognition, Applied Cognitive Psychology, Genes, Brain and Behavior, and the Journal of Applied Psychology. Additionally, Dr. Sheen has also worked as an industrial organizational psychologist working on a consultant basis. This work involves applying psychological principles in the workplace, including employee motivation, satisfaction and the use of psychometric tests for selection and placement. Dr. Sheen is married and has a one-year-old son.